The rain finally came early doors and the air was warm and moist and not humid when we ventured down the lane as the burnt greenery of the fields and gardens took their first deep gulp of water.
I had bought several pots of growing basil yesterday and had placed the herbs on the old pine set of bedroom drawers so that they could perfume my bed space after I returned to bed
The smell of basil for me is synonymous with salad lunches and bright sunshine
I'm on nights tonight. I'm working a set of three then after that a set of five
Night shift means more pay.
I have the car brakes, my annual nurse registration payment of 120£ and the dog walker to pay for
I'm not complaining.....I have a job to go to.
The racist news from America lies heavy on my heart today
Boris' statement that he is now going to take control of the covid fight is even more troubling
Almost 10 weeks without rain feels like a metaphore for false positivity
Reality hidden away, just a little , behind bright sun and summer clothes.
You’ve described how I’m feeling right now... without the rain.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very strange and stressful time, take care, do our part to make it better.
ReplyDeleteI try to have fresh basil plants in the kitchen whenever I can get it......even during the winter when available. I love it!
ReplyDeleteYes, the news from the USA is very troubling. Wish racism was just confined there but sadly it is not.
'Western' countries are not free from it ......we all have a part to play to rid our culture from this systemic racist attitude by speaking up about it.
I have basil too, from last season.
ReplyDeleteInteresting what you say about rain John. You are living in the opposite season to ours down under. We spent last driest ever winter freaking about the oncoming fire summer re bushfires and that happened. Now we are looking at a wettest winter.
my city was quiet last night, but the tension has not dissipated. just like we call out the homophobic hate, we MUST call out the racism and VOTE OUT all racists from government positions.
ReplyDeleteagreed,
DeleteMinneapolis, Louisville, Atlanta, NYC, Chicago, LA, Denver, etc....all led by Democrats, sad times
ann
My heart is breaking for my country. Trump is the devil. I pray for his removal from office. I pray that the protestors stay safe from aggression, idiots and COVID -19. This world is beautiful- as John so often shows us... Why can't we all just get along?
DeleteOh please ANONYMOUS. Arizona , Utah , Georgia Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas all have had rioting and all are led by a Republican.
DeleteFor Sybil, in "Fawlty Towers", the smell of Basil was synonymous with hanky panky.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was just the name of her husband ... who she treated like a complete buffoon.
DeleteI always think of Basil as Manual's pet rat in Fawlty Towers. I remember Manual saying " Basil's in the ratatoulle?" not realising it was the other kind of basil.
DeleteI thought of Basil in "Waiting for God"!
DeleteHugs!
Thank you for these lighthearted remarks. I had forgotten about Basil in "Waiting for God". One can never forget the other Basils in "Fawlty Towers".
DeleteI LOVED Waiting for God. Thanks for the reminder.
DeleteI thought you'd got a new cat ... Basil is such a good name for a cat!!
ReplyDeleteI have a pot of supermarket basil on the kitchen windowsill (I can never say no for the paltry price of £1.25) but I can't imagine it's scent suiting me in the bedroom somehow.
The world has gone mad, I have absolutely no faith in our Prime Minister to do the right thing, I would prefer Nichola Sturgeon to ride in on a tartan charger and say 'Leave it all to me, I'll sort this out for you'.
And as for the Trump ... I have no words, not even swear words that are suitable, so for once I will keep quiet.
Obama was president and Michael Brown’s shooting still happened.
DeleteSandra Bland still happened.
Tamir Rice still happened.
Trayvon Martin still happened.
yes- that is true... racial injustice was not ushered in with Trump- but he is the malignant force that has allowed it to boil over. Obama tried to make it better.
DeleteTrump has fanned the flames of racism and intolerance to the current heart-breaking levels, things were just waiting to explode ... and now sadly they have. And while he sits behind ranks of state troopers et al the ordinary man on the street suffers. You just have to take his 'photo opportunity' stunt for example and read the accounts of the clergy that were removed forcibly and with violence from the square to see what he is up to.
DeleteHey, at least the nature loves all the rain... 🤷♂️
ReplyDeleteOften a storm is needed to clean the air. As bad as it looks in America, and it is, change is coming. At least, that is what I hope. I went from despair the other night with Trumps actions and words, then yesterday, voices were heard loud and clear, and his were denounced and ridiculed. There is some hope today. He will not destroy us.
ReplyDeleteLove fresh basil. So easy to keep, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's been heavy here in Chicago. Even the suburbs felt the stir of the anti-racist protests. The Mayor is holding her own, though. Even when she's critiqued.
And Boris taking control of anything? Heaven help us.
XOXO
i do love basil too. i am constantly propagating it in a jar on the windowsill. i have many many basil plants. i not only want to vote trump out in november, i want it to happen in a landslide. and then i want to see him behind bars. what a horrible being he is. there is seriously not one redeemable characteristic in his hugely inflated body. he is the height of evil.
ReplyDeleteAnd his little hike to St. John's Church and then waving the Bible around was beyond despicable! Yes, we can't be rid of him soon enough!
DeleteThis state (Minneapolis) is totally under Democrat control.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting fact has emerged that this particular police officer has been investigated 9 times previously for over the top behaviour.
It is also noted that Amy Klobushar who is the favourite to be Joe Bidens VP pick was the DA who declined to prosecute this policemen in the case of a previous police killing!
ann
Guess you will be voting for Trump again, eh?
DeleteWell, Ann, apparently the case you cite was investigated and finally taken to a grand jury by Klobuchar's successor when she was already in a US senator. Also, your comments about Democrats as opposed to Republicans completely misses the point. No one said Republicans murdered George Floyd. Trump's actions and rhetoric and that of his supporters only make matters worse.
DeleteJazz has said what I feel about Trump.
ReplyDeleteI so agree, Jaz!
ReplyDeleteBasil is such a lovely aromatic herb to have indoors.
Wishing you well during the night shifts to come. You do have such a wonderful way with words.
Hugs!
Frankly John if I have to consult anyone for an opinion on Covid 19 it will be you not Boris - I have more confidence in what you - and thousands of other front line staff- have to say. You all know precisely what you are up against.
ReplyDeleteI agree. My young friend is an emergency room nurse in NYC. If anyone wants to know how it really is spend 10 minutes talking to her.
DeleteLove basil so much we have a cat named Bssil. Feline version of Mr Fawlty
ReplyDeleteI have a small jug of roses perfuming my bedroom at the moment - it's been a superb year for them so far.
ReplyDeleteTreat yourself to fried tomatoes and basil on your home made buttered sourdough toast. It is blood delish!
ReplyDeleteLX
... or even bloody delish!
DeleteLX
Love the smell of fresh basil.
ReplyDeleteUgh. Boris.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you get some rain soon. We have been promised rain for next week. We are in a drought right now. Yes I would trust you more than your PM for what is going on with Covid 19. Our PM Trudeau is doing okay and he has an excellent medical officer also advising. As for me I am restocking on my mask making supplies for the next one. I need elastic. I give my masks away and am proudest of the 50 for patients in a dialysis unit in an Indigenous hosptial in Northern Saskatchewan. Hugs to you and your crew there. Love you.
ReplyDeleteHi hun, I love basil especially with tomatoes, goats cheese drizzled with olive oil and grilled so the tomatoes are soft and the cheese is oozy! Then take a baguette tear off a piece and dip it!! OMG I can't wait for my tomato plants to fruit. It is the first thing we eat every year! YUMMM :) We could do with some rain in suffolk - the water butts are dry!. *hugs* Goldensunflowerx
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased it's been raining here today.I don't much like hot weather and mr shaggy b does not pull the wool over my eyes At all-I do like the "be alert"thingy though as I am being very.At the supermarket today after a 4 weeks absence I was scared of people far too close and behaving irresponsibly.I spotted the manager and told him that things had slipped there.He said he could not police the customers-but there was No reminder of social distancing on speakers etc-as I left he had found the recording x
ReplyDeleteOff topic of Trump..."early doors"? a new turn of phrase. And I just saw your Welsh sheep again featured in an article about climate change/ wildlife during lockdown. They're famous!
ReplyDeletelizzy
Totally hear you on the night shift pay. I gave up $7000 a year to get straight day shift. The only good thing about my nurse registration fee is that I pay it in October before the Christmas spending happens.
ReplyDeleteThey say every 80 years there comes an event that shapes the generation and sweeps in changes. 2020 is that year, and we are seeing the change.
ReplyDeleteThe racist news from America lies heavy on my heart today
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping us in mind, John. We'll work through this, or it will be the end of us.
It's been a long time . Nice to see you around x
DeleteLove the smell of Basil. Trump keeps me up nights sad it took the death of a man to wake the country up but am so glad to see so many young people out protesting gives me hope for the future.
ReplyDeleteI didn't want to put the smell of Basil in the same sentence as Trump to good for him.